Vatican City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One visit to this magnificent place and you can understand why. It is located on Vatican Hill, across from the seven hills of Rome on the other side of the Tiber River.
Vatican City is a country, yes, a country, within the city of Rome (they even have their own stamp!), and it is the smallest independent country in the world at about 109 acres. It is the headquarters of Roman Catholicism and is ruled by the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope, and the jurisdiction is known as the Holy See. Its official name is Stato della Città del Vaticano, or the State of Vatican City, and is recognized as such internationally. It became a sovereign state in 1929 with the signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy, signed by the Vatican and Benito Mussolini, the prime minister at the time, on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III.
There are five entrances to Vatican City, each guarded by the Pontifical Swiss Guards.
Pontifical Swiss Guards
St. Peter’s Basilica was built upon the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle, the first bishop of Rome. The remains of the original church that was built on that spot by Emperor Constantine, who granted tolerance to Christians in the Roman Empire and is credited with declaring Christianity the official religion of the Empire, can be found underneath the basilica.
St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square
The Vatican Museums began with a collection of sculptures by Pope Julius II (1503-1513) and has grown into one of the largest and most visited art museums in the world. It contains many sculptures, tapestries, and artwork by masterful artists such as Michelangelo, DaVinci, Giotto, and Raphael, and of course, the Sistine Chapel.
The Sistine Chapel Ceiling
The Gallery of Maps, Vatican Museums
Cupola of St Peter’s Basilica
Castel Sant’Angelo is a mausoleum that was built by Emperor Hadrian (130-139AD) for himself and his family. It has been used as a prison and a place of refuge by popes who escaped from danger through a passageway which connects it to the Vatican. Today it is a museum which houses various artistic and antique exhibitions.
Castel Sant’Angelo
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Top Photo credit: Polybert49 via Foter.com / CC BY-SA